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As many as 36 suspected Isis fighters have been killed after the US dropped ‘the mother of all bombs’ in Afghanistan.

It is the first time the bomb, known as GBU-43, has ever been used in combat since it was developed in 2003, the Afghan Defence Ministry said on Friday.

Though the claims have not been confirmed, ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said no civilians were harmed in Thursday’s massive blast that targeted a network of caves and tunnels.

The bomb was the largest non-nuclear device ever unleashed in combat by the US (Picture: Getty images)

(Picture: Rex/Shutterstock)

In a statement, he said: ‘No civilian has been hurt and only the base which Daesh used to launch attacks in other parts of the province, was destroyed.

Hakim Khan, 50, who lives in the Achin district where the attack took place, welcomed the attack on ISIS, and said: ‘I want 100 times more bombings on this group.’

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The bomb, known officially as a GBU-43B, or massive ordnance air blast weapon, unleashes 11 tons of explosives.

The bomb was dropped in the Achin district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan (Picture: METRO/MylesGoode)

General John Nicholson, the head of US and international forces in Afghanistan, confirmed the bomb had been used against caves and bunkers housing fighters of the Islamic State.

He said it was intended to minimise the risk to Afghan and US forces conducting clearing operations in the Achin area and added: ‘This is the right munition to reduce these obstacles and maintain the momentum of our offensive against Isis-K.’

The General added IS has been using improvised explosive devices, bunkers and tunnels to strengthen its defences.